Last Wednesday, a Turkish court imposed several years of prison sentences against leading employees of government-critical newspaper "Cumhuriyet". The editor Akın Atalay was sentenced to eight years, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and journalist Ahmet Şık to each seven and years, because of ir alleged support of terrorist organizations. The condemned journalists remain in freedom until ir revision. Presumably y will not be allowed to leave country. Here former editor-in-Chief of "Cumhuriyet", can Dündar, writes how he and Atalay were before decision to return to Turkey or go into exile a year and a half ago.
Read Turkish original here. The text has been edited easily for German version.
Akın Atalay IstGeschäftsführer of Cumhuriyet, oldest newspaper of Turkish Republic. He is chairman of foundation, published in newspaper. When, on October 31st, 2016 woke up at 5 o'clock in morning can effectively, our houses would cleaned up, my first call was for him. He was on his feet long ago. We had been to a hotel in Cologne Anlässlicheiner celebration.
For months, Wardie raid had been expected, this morning it was carried out, apartments by 16 employees of newspaper, including editors, writers, reporters and lawyers, were stormed. The police returned Unterstezuoberst.
Akın and Ichsetzten immediately toger, called friends and our families to undbesprachen what to do. Akın is known for its serenity. Even now he remained calm. Unexcited Bemühteer to calm us down and to assess what would come next.
Can DündarBorn 1961 in Ankara, was until 2016 editor in chief of government-critical Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet. He now lives in exile in Germany and manages portal Özgürüz. For time being he writes a weekly column about crisis in Turkey.
Then fuhrenwir toger to Berlin, into my apartment. When I was in prison, I had visited and talked for hours in tiny visitor room with me. Nunbegannen in a small room in a far away or city wiederumgemeinsame long nights. Sleepless nights on phone, on internet, in front of DemFernsehapparat. Akın pondered until morning hours, pondering all eventualities.
Our Freundeund colleagues had been taken into custody. Obviously, Essich acted a blow, with which Cumhuriyetin should be forced to kneel. The government-related press titled "Operation against terror fortress." We were also on list of arrests. I had been in Berlinund for three months, had decided to stay a while in Germany. He was here lediglichfür three days. On return, both of us threatened immediate arrest.
The accusation: "He made it out"I was derMeinung to return and go to prison, would plunge newspaper into a vacuum, and sought ways to carry it from abroad if a forced administrator were to be employed. Akın took notes, scribbled things on paper and Kalkuliertedie suspected consequences of Heimkehrensoder staying.
Coincidentally warenwir on day of raid had not been in house. We discussed, like a fire, wher we plunge into it and friends and colleagues Rettenoder better herbeischaffensollten from outside water. We were in a position to decide between prison and exile. Being abroad while you were in prison would be a serious moral burden. That would be burden of reproach: "He pastitis made of it."
On third morning, Akın said: "I have decided, I'm going back." – "Tu Nota, Akın", I held to him. "You'll be arrested as soon as plane lands, and it's completely unclear how long you'll be in jail." I hatteBekanntschaft with prison. Everything had become much worse since my detention; Who once Inhaftiertwar, had hardly chance to come out again. On television, AlsSprachrohr of Government of Acting journalist Cem Küçük threatened: "Akın and Canbekommen life. They're going to die. Wher by legal means or by or means. "
Date Of Update: 28 April 2018, 12:02
